Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) Degree in Australia

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Looking for a specialisation of Engineering which incorporates how electrical devices work or how electrical energy is produced and used? Perhaps Electrical and Electronic Engineering is for you! Let’s discover the ins and outs of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) Degree in Australia.

What is Electrical and Electronic Engineering?

Electrical and Electronic Engineering covers a wide range of electricity or electromagnetic related Engineering. It is a combination of both Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Electrical Engineering: focuses on power systems, electrical machinery, and energy generation. Examples of Electrical Engineering include: power grid design, energy distribution, and renewable energy.
Electronic Engineering: focuses on electronic circuits, integrated circuits, microprocessors, and communication systems. Examples of Electronic Engineering include: the design of consumer electronics, telecommunications devices, and control systems.

The field of Electrical and Electronic Engineering allows one to be at the forefront of future emerging technologies. Knowing that technology is a huge driver of change and its immense impact on society, the field is definitely fast-growing with a promising future.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) is also closely related to Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE). However, the latter centres more on communicative devices and broadcast systems.

What do Electronic and Electrical Engineers do?

Generally, Electronic and Electrical Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, testing, improving, and monitoring the manufacture of electrical equipment. Accordingly, the fields Electronic and Electrical Engineers can venture into are vast with varied tasks. Their responsibilities can include:

1. Exploring new technology – Electronic and Electrical Engineers explore new technology, systems, or components from the stage of research and development up to the final supervision. These technologies could be meant for advancing automation, communication systems, radar, or basically almost everything involving electricity and electromagnetism.

2. Developing industrial strategies – With rapid technological growth, comes rapid revolution in digital information and consumer insights. In this case, Electronic and Electrical Engineers can analyse consumer needs, evaluate issues, and recommend solutions while working with other professionals.

3. Finding sustainable solutions for energy or transport – Sustainability has been big across industries, Electronic and Electrical Engineering included. This aligns with improving developed technology and also ensuring they meet safety standards and regulations.

4. Solving challenging Engineering problems – The field of Electronic and Electrical Engineering is dynamic with changes happening rapidly each passing day. Hence, Electronic and Electrical Engineers are responsible in designing new ways to electrical power to develop and improve products.

5. Understanding how to design systems – This responsibility is fundamental to the field of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, where Engineering professionals of the field should be knowledgeable of materials used up to circuit architecture and system hardware, enough so that they can explain the significance of these components in layman terms. This is especially necessary because they are likely to collaborate with those of a non-Engineering background.

Skills Required to Study Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Circuit Design and Analysis

One major component of Electronic and Electrical Engineering is to understand the principles of designing and analysing electrical circuits. This skill is necessary for knowledge on creating safe electrical systems and also to construct and repair electrical equipment.

Numerical Aptitude

In Electronic and Electrical Engineering study programmes (moreso, Engineering programmes generally), Mathematics is deeply integrated. This means that students will most definitely undertake more advanced Mathematics subjects and Physics as well. That’s why, numerical aptitude will substantially help you breeze through the programme.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

Digital Signal Processing is a process where signals like voice, video, temperature, or pressure are digitised and then mathematically manipulated. DSP is present in many digital, communication, and electrical systems. An instance of DSP is the playback of recorded music on electronic devices.

Programming and Software Proficiency

Electronic and Electrical Engineering programme will incorporate the utilisation of softwares, where students will have to learn programming languages. As such, programming and software proficiency will aid in studying Electronic and Electrical Engineering but remember, you can always learn and improve as you go.

Renewable Energy and Sustainable Practice

With growing awareness on the importance of sustainability, knowledge on renewable energy sources and its integration as well as efficient-energy practices is essential. This skill is crucial in the transition to reduce carbon footprint and utilise cleaner sources of energy.

Career Options for Electrical and Electronic Engineer Graduates

Some career options Electrical and Electronic Engineer graduates can venture into include:

Electrical and Electronic Engineer
Electrical Power Engineer
Power Systems Engineer
Systems Engineer
Telecommunications Equipment Engineer
Electrical Design Engineer
Automatic Control Systems Engineer
Robotics Engineer
Biomedical Instrumentation Engineer
Renewable Energy Systems Engineer

The average annual salary for an Electrical Engineer in Australia ranges from AU$110,000 to AU$130,000

The average annual salary for an Electronic Engineer in Australia ranges from AU$85,000 to AU$105,000.

Salaries can vary depending on which state you plan to work in.

How to be an Electrical Engineer in Australia

1. Complete SPM or equivalent examinations

The initial step for your journey into becoming an Electrical Engineer is to complete high school qualifications which could be through any SPM or equivalent examination. It could greatly benefit future applications if you have taken Additional Mathematics or Physics subjects.

2. Complete relevant pre-university qualifications

After, enrol and complete relevant pre-university study programmes which will qualify you into a Bachelor of Engineering programme in Australia. An alternative route would be to enrol in a Diploma of Engineering in Australia, which could take up from 8-12 months. This alternative route would enable you to gain entry to the second year of a Bachelor of Engineering programme in Australia. However, this is highly dependent on your scores and the institution you are enrolled in.

3. Enrol in an accredited Bachelor of Engineering programme

Next, enrol in an accredited Bachelor of Engineering programme majoring in Electrical Engineering or majoring in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. This step could take up to 4 years. Though, with a Diploma of Engineering, this step would take up 3 years. Accreditations for the Bachelor of Engineering programme in Australia are typically granted by Engineers Australia (EA).

4. Obtain additional qualifications

Completion of your Bachelors would allow for you to work as a Graduate Engineer. Here, you can gain professional experience for 3-5 years and/or enrol in postgraduate programmes in specific Engineering specialisation to gain more credentials before being able to become established Electrical Engineers.

5. Secure Licensing

However, to be able to work as an Electrical Engineer you would need a licensing. Depending on the Australian region you plan to work in, it may be a different process. Regardless, you can obtain the National Engineering Registration (NER) credential from Engineers Australia to become a legally recognised Electrical Engineer.

One road to Permanent Residency (PR) in Australia is through occupation as an Electrical Engineer. Electrical Engineers are typically under the Medium and Long-term Strategic Skills List (MLTSSL) where an occupation is projected to be in demand for medium to long term duration. Electrical Engineers under MLTSSL have the opportunity for migration to Australia such as via the subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) visa. Keep in mind there are other visa subclasses that you may apply for.

When you are eligible to apply for permanent residency, you can apply for permanent resident visa such as subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated) visa. The choice of visa may vary from occupation, eligibility, regional preference, and wish to acquire permanent residence.

General Entry Requirements to Study Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Academic Entry

Do take note that most Electrical and Electronic Engineering programmes have a Mathematics subject prerequisite. Some would also require a Science subject prerequisite.

Academic Entry	Minimum Score
STPM	GPA 2.70
Matriculation	CGPA 2.60
A-Levels	Aggregate of 7 in the Best 3 Subjects
UEC	Aggregate of 15 in the Best 5 Subjects
IB Diploma	28
Australian Matriculation (ATAR)	70
Canadian Pre-University (CPU)	67.5%

Note: Universities may have different requirements. To learn more, get in touch with us!

English Language Entry Requirements

Entry Level	Minimum Score
IELTS	6.5
TOEFL	79
Pearson Test of English (PTE)	58

Note: Universities may have different requirements. To learn more, get in touch with us!

Top Universities to Study Electrical and Electronic Engineering in Australia

1. University of Sydney (USYD)

The University of Sydney, known as USYD, was founded in 1850. USYD is the oldest university in Australia, presented through its sandstone exterior. The university was ranked 19th among universities globally in 2024 and is also a member of the Group of Eight (Go8) network, making it an excellent study destination choice.

The Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Electrical Engineering) programme by the University of Sydney offers a comprehensive Engineering education complete with foundational core theories as well as professional engagement activities throughout the programme. Also, the programme is accredited by Engineers Australia and other major professional Engineering institutions.

Programme Offered	Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Electrical Engineering)
Duration	4 Years
Intake	February, July
Indicative Fees (2024)	International Students: AU$224,000